Motor fuel and fuel oil emulsions using a salt as emulsifier

Abstract

Motor fuels or fuel oils in the form of an emulsion contain water, an emulsifier and optionally an alcohol, the emulsifier being at least 25% by weight of a compound of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R 1 and R 4 are saturated or unsaturated, straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon aliphatic radicals with 4 to 24 C atoms, R 4 can also be an alkylphenyl radical of 1 to 18 C atoms in the optionally branched, alkyl chain or H; R 2 , R 3 and R 5 represent a methyl group or H, n and m is a number from one to 20 plus z from 0 to 15, and X is an acid radical --COO.sup.(-) or --OCH 2 COO.sup.(-). The emulsions are especially stable and of low viscosity.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a water/oil emulsion comprising combustion effective amounts of water, a motor fuel useful for internal combustion engines or a fuel oil and an emulsifier, the improvement wherein the emulsifier comprises at least 25% by weight of a compound of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1  and R 4  each independently is alkyl or alkenyl of 4 to 24 C atoms, and R 4  can also be alkylphenyl of 1 to 18 C atoms in the alkyl portion or H; R 2 , R 3  and R 5  each independently is methyl or H; n plus m is a number from 1 to 20; z is 0 to 15; and X is --COO.sup.(-) or --OCH 2  COO.sup.(-). 
     
     
       2. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein the oil is a motor fuel oil. 
     
     
       3. An emulsion of claim 2, wherein the amounts of ingredients are 50-97% by weight of oil, 0.5 to 35% by weight of water: 0.3 to 6.0% by weight of emulsifier and 0-15% by weight of a lower alkanol. 
     
     
       4. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein the oil is a fuel oil. 
     
     
       5. An emulsion of claim 4, wherein the amounts of ingredients are 50-97% by weight of oil, 0.5 to 35% by weight of water and 0.3 to 6.0% by weight of emulsifier. 
     
     
       6. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein the emulsifier comprises at least 50% of a compound of said formula. 
     
     
       7. An emulsion of claim 6, wherein the emulsifier comprises substantially 100% of a compound of said formula. 
     
     
       8. An emulsion of claim 3, wherein the emulsifier comprises substantially 100 wt% of a compound of said formula. 
     
     
       9. An emulsion of claim 4, wherein the emulsifier comprises substantially 100 wt% of a compound of said formula. 
     
     
       10. An emulsion of claim 5, wherein the emulsifier comprises substantially 100 wt% of a compound of said formula. 
     
     
       11. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein in said formula n and m are 0. 
     
     
       12. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein in said formula n and m are 1-10. 
     
     
       13. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein R 4  is alkylphenyl. 
     
     
       14. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein z is 0. 
     
     
       15. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein z is 1-15. 
     
     
       16. An emulsion of claim 1, wherein X is --OCH 2  COO.sup.(-). 
     
     
       17. An emulsion of claim 2, further comprising an amount up to 15% by weight of a lower alkanol. 
     
     
       18. An emulsion of claim 3, wherein the amount of water is 8-15% by weight. 
     
     
       19. An emulsion of claim 5, wherein the amount of water is 8-15% by weight. 
     
     
       20. A method of lowering the viscosity of an emulsion of water, a motor fuel oil or a fuel oil, and an emulsifier, comprising using as at least 25% of said emulsifier, a compound of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1  and R 4  each independently is alkyl or alkenyl of 4 to 24 C atoms, and R 4  can also be alkylphenyl of 1 to 18 C atoms in the alkyl portion or H; R 2 , R 3  and R 5  each independently is methyl or H; n plus m is a number from 1 to 20; z is 0 to 15; and X is --COO.sup.(-) or --OCH 2  COO.sup.(-). 
     
     
       21. In a method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising feeding fuel into said engine, the improvement wherein said fuel is the water/oil emulsion of claim 1.